Japanese Official Commends JKUAT Research & Innovation

Prof. Kahangi explain to Hon. YANO about the tissue culture banana research and other agricultural value addition outputs from the University

The President of the Association of African Economy and Development, Hon. Tetsuro YANO has called for greater research and technology transfer partnerships between JKUAT and Japanese universities. He said such initiatives would encourage cross-cultural learning and bench-marking towards livelihood transformation.

Hon. YANO who is a former Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, was speaking Monday February 15, at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology when he paid the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga a courtesy call.

The Ex-Senator lauded the strong networks that JKUAT had formalized with Japanese Universities that had enabled the Kenya’s leading technology institution to emerge as a regional centre of excellence in training, research and innovation.

While receiving Hon. YANO and his entourage to JKUAT, Prof. Imbuga said the strong hybridity of Japanese and Kenyan ethos in the founding of JKUAT had spawned a culture of creativity and innovation in the University to the benefit of Kenya, the region and Africa at large.

Prof. Imbuga cited the recent bid award to JKUAT to supply and install laptops to 21 counties in support of the Jubilee Government’s ground-breaking digital literacy programme as vote of confidence in JKUAT’s research and innovations capacity

The Vice Chancellor also informed the official that JKUAT had equally formalized cooperation with Japanese industry players like Nissin Foods Ltd on production of locally flavoured noodles; and Looop Inc. in renewable energy device research.

Prof. Imbuga added that the University was repositioning itself by diversifying into high impact areas like energy, water, climate change, and biotechnology and it welcomed collaboration with external academia and industry.

The Vice Chancellor further lauded the Government of Japan for strengthening JKUAT in order to better serve the continent through the Pan African University Institute of Basic Sciences, technology and Innovation (PAUSTI).

The two officials discussed how their institutions could closely work together to promote greater partnerships between JKUAT and Japanese universities and industry.